Agencies Respond To Pandemic
The design and craft sector has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, and Design and Craft Council Ireland has responded with a campaign urging staycationers to step into the void left by absent overseas tourists.
CEO Rosemary Steen notes that many makers have broadened their focus to selling online. “Many also looked on the enforced period of closure as a time to develop new products and acquire new skills,” she adds
“Our #MADELOCAL campaign involves 3,000 clients and over 100 retailers, and is a direct call to action to consumers to shop local and consider the breadth of Irish-crafted, highquality products available here.
“Designers and makers play a vital role in the Irish economy. We’ve all had to refocus how we live our lives as a result of Covid-19 and buying local for our food and household necessities has become a huge part of that. The #MADELOCAL campaign is about reminding people that there is so much more on offer, right on our doorstep.”
Bord Bia has also launched new initiatives following a significant decline in Irish food and drink exports due to the global pandemic. One of the agency’s supports will be a firstof-its-kind hybrid programme of
Rosemary Steen,
Design and Craft Council Ireland
offline/online trade engagement.
This will see exporters avail of new Bord Bia services including virtual international trade missions, participation in online trade shows, training and development for virtual business pitching, and a new business development website, targeting global food buyers.
The first ever ‘Minister-Led Virtual Trade Mission’ for Ireland’s food and drink industry will take place in the autumn, targeting 150 trade buyers across Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Bord Bia has also been working with 150 companies on virtual business pitching as part of its ‘Perfecting the Virtual Pitch’ workshop. The agency is currently working with a number of Irish drink exporters in preparation for its first ever online trade show, scheduled to take place in Berlin this autumn.
Skillnet Ireland is operating the ReBound initiative, in partnership with Ibec, Chambers Ireland, the NSAI and the Small Firms Association. Participating companies receive a combination of webinar training on implementing the government’s Return to Work Safely protocol and mentoring, to help them create and implement a plan that is bespoke to their organisation.
ReBound also includes sectoralspecific training programmes from Skillnet Ireland networks for the childcare, creative, food production, hair and beauty, healthcare, legal, leisure, health and fitness, manufacturing, aviation, restaurant and hospitality, and retail sectors. ReBound is provided to business owners and managers free of charge and is delivered online.